Xavier

I woke up the next morning with her tucked into my side. My God, she was the most beautiful thing in the world. I felt her bare chest rise and fall against me as she continued sleeping. I rolled over towards her wrapping her small body in my arms. An unfamiliar sense of peace fell over me as I watched her.

Yesterday, I finally gave in. I finally admit to myself and her that I wanted her and I had never been so terrified and...over-joyed in my life. A small part of me still knew this was an awful idea, that this girl made me weak and vulnerable to a different kind of pain. But the other part of me knew she made me stronger, even more dangerous, because now I had something to fight for, something I would burn the world to protect. My life was no longer consumed by revenge but by something stronger. I wasn't consumed with causing havoc for fun, I was consumed with the desirer to protect what was mine at all cause. No one mattered but her. And God help whoever crossed my angel for they would answer to me.

"Xavier," She whispered as her eyes fluttered open.

"Angel," She smiled up at me leaning up on her elbows. I leaned in kissing her lips. "Good morning,"

"Good morning, what time is it?" She sat up reaching for her phone with one hand while holding the blanket to her chest with the other.

"Do you work today?"

"In about two hours." I groaned. I had to work too and I hated the idea of her being out of my sight. "You don't have to go." She said reading my frustration wrong.

"I can't go. I have a conference call at noon." I started thinking of who to send with her.

"I have time to make some breakfast if Rose hasn't beaten me to it."

"I'll take a shower and be down in a minute." She nodded rolling out of bed and getting dressed.

When I got down stairs, Chase, Clutch, Ace, Eric, and Blade where at the table and Aubrey was sitting next to Clutch. I went up behind her looking over the food already on the table. I guess Rose cooked this morning. She leaned back putting her head on my chest and smiling up at me.

"You want some coffee?" She asked.

"That sounds great." She got up and I sat where she had been before.

"You didn't call to go out last night." Blade said from across the table.

"I wanted to stay in." I muttered watching her on the other side of the kitchen getting a mug down from the top cabinet.

"Oh really?" Blade said with a hint of amusement. I looked at him to see him smirking at me. I Ignored him. Aubrey came back to the table handing me the mug before looking around the table. There were no seats. I leaned back and patted my leg for her to sit. I felt the stares but ignored them not wanting to invite any questions. Aubrey went back to talking to Eric about the kids as I thought about who to send with her to work. She was close to Clutch and no matter how much I hated him for hiding her from me that day I knew he did it to keep her safe when I didn't. Not only did he protect her, he risked knowing I would be mad enough to kill him.

"So I take it everything's going well?" Chase said leaning closer to me nodding towards Aubrey. I nodded once still not comfortable with talking about it with anyone except her. "Good, I'm happy for you."

"I need to know I can trust you." I said out of nowhere. He looked kinda bothered by that but I didn't care. "I can't go with her today to work and I need to know if I ask you to go that you will protect her at any cost."

"Of course man, whatever it takes." I nodded once.

"I'm sending you and Clutch, if anything happens you call me."

"Nothing will happen to her, Xavier. We will keep her safe." I'd never felt this nervous about not going with her before.

"I'm going to go get ready." Aubrey said getting up and heading up stairs. All of them looked at me as soon as she was out of sight.

"Clutch you are going with Chase to stay with her."

"Got it."

"Do you really think this is necessary? I mean they haven't made a move since that night they attacked her." Ace asked. I glared at him from across the table.

"They aren't going to give up that easily." Eric jumped in. "Especially after waiting so long to find something to use against him."

"I'm just not sure how doing this forever will fix the problem, we need a different plan."

"The plan is to be ready, no matter what happens, be ready to protect her."